About a year ago I wrote about polycarbonate's increasing usage in automotive windows, starting with sunroofs and then going to side windows. The coveted windshield is still aways away.
But now here comes an upstart: PMMA, i.e, poly(methyl methacrylate), i.e., Plexiglas. Modern Plastics is reporting on the use of PMMA as a glass replacement for cars. Only this not as a sunroof or side window or any of the less demanding applications. This is in the windshield. Of a race car.
Race cars certainly will put a larger stress on the window, and any rocks or debris that hits the windshield will certainly be far more likely to damage it, but race cars are typically used for just a few hours before they go back into the shop and get rebuilt for the next race. Long-term stability of the material is not an issue - the car won't last 10 years so why would there be any concern of the windshield yellows in 10 years? I don't see this as actually making that much inroad into the market.
Everything flows, but only the macromolecules are worth the time.
4 comments:
I believe PMMA as windscreens are not that bad if you would replace them every couple of years later, but that would be inconvenient. So let's just stick to the usual glass windscreens.
I wonder how long until it will be viable to use for auto glass replacement in SLC UT. Well I guess I should hurry up and wait.
Nice blog
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